Construction machinery

Abstract

To provide a construction machine that allows the operation method of the buttons on the control device to be changed. [Solution] A construction machine comprising: a drive unit that performs a predetermined movement by operating a plurality of actuators; a control device that transmits control command signals to each solenoid valve for operating the plurality of actuators; and an operating device that transmits operating signals to the control device for operating the drive unit, wherein the operating device has a plurality of buttons configured in a momentary manner, and the control device starts and continues drive control of the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when a button on the operating device is pressed, and stops the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when a button is pressed thereafter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a construction machine provided with an operating device constituted by momentary-type buttons. Background Art

[0002] Construction machines such as pile drivers and crane trucks are provided with an operating device for operation by an operator, and levers, switches, buttons, and the like are used as input means for transmitting operation commands to a drive unit from the operator. Such buttons include an alternate type that maintains the ON state even when the hand is released after being pressed, and a momentary type that requires the button to be kept pressed to remain in the ON state. In the driver's cab 4 of the hydraulic excavator disclosed in the following Patent Document 1, a momentary type is adopted for a push button switch configured as a control release device. Prior Art Literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2021-50545 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Regarding operating devices for construction machines, it is preferable that the operating devices can be freely designed according to the operation content of the drive unit and the like so as to improve the operability for the operator. However, this correspondingly increases the cost of the operating device, and thus general-purpose operating devices are sometimes used in order to reduce the cost. Depending on the product, the operating device may be constituted by a momentary-type push button switch, and depending on the operation content of the machine, the button must be held pressed for a long time, which imposes a burden on the operator and impairs operability when performing other operations simultaneously. Accordingly, it is desired that even a momentary-type operating device can operate like an alternate-type operating device.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a construction machine that allows the operation method of the button switch of the control device to be changed in order to solve the above problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The construction machine according to the present invention comprises a drive unit that performs a predetermined movement by operating a plurality of actuators, a control device that transmits control command signals to each solenoid valve for operating the plurality of actuators, and an operating device that transmits operation signals to the control device for operating the drive unit, wherein the operating device has a plurality of buttons configured in a momentary manner, and the control device starts and continues drive control of the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when a button on the operating device is pressed, and stops the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when a button is pressed thereafter. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above configuration, the operator's operation via the operating device sends control command signals from the control device to each solenoid valve, activating the actuators and performing work that causes the drive unit of the construction machine to move in a predetermined manner. Even if the buttons on the operating device are configured in a momentary manner, the control device operates in an alternate manner, starting and continuing the drive control of the drive unit based on the button signals transmitted by the operator's button press, and then stopping the drive unit based on the button signals transmitted by the operator pressing the button again. Therefore, even during long periods of operation, the operator does not need to keep pressing the button. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a pile driver as one embodiment of construction machinery. [Figure 2] This is a simplified diagram illustrating the control system of construction machinery. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing a remote control operating device. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing a radio-controlled slave unit. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the process of the button operation change program. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the construction machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a pile driver with an auger device assembled as an example of a construction machine. In this embodiment, the pile driver 1 has a base machine 2, in which an upper rotating body 12 equipped with a driver's cab 15 is rotatably mounted on a lower traveling body 11 that can be traveled by crawlers. A leader 13 is swingably mounted in the center of the tip of the upper rotating body 12, and an auger device 3, which is a rotational output device, is attached to the leader 13. Furthermore, a lifting device 5 for strengthening the extraction of piles is attached to the auger device 3.

[0010] A leader support 21 is provided at the center of the tip of the upper rotating body 12, and a swing crank 25 is formed on the leader 13 so as to protrude to the rear. The leader 13 is configured to tilt in the front-rear direction, with the swing crank 25 pivotally supported by a support pin parallel to the width direction of the machine body relative to the leader support 21. The leader support 21 and the swing crank 25 are connected by a front-rear swing cylinder 26. Furthermore, the lower side of the leader support 21 is pivotally supported by a support shaft in the front-rear direction relative to the upper rotating body 12, and the leader 13 can swing in the left-right direction together with the swing crank 25 and the front-rear swing cylinder 26. A left-right swing cylinder 27 is pivotally attached to the leader support 21 between it and the upper rotating body 12.

[0011] In this embodiment, the pile driver 1 has an auger device 3 attached to a leader 13 that can swing in the forward / backward and left / right directions. The auger device 3 is a working device for imparting rotation to the gripped casing K. The auger device 3 is assembled vertically from a base frame 31, a chuck frame 32, and a work table 33, and through holes 34 are formed in each of them through which the casing K can pass. The base frame 31 is provided with four hydraulic motors 35 for the auger that rotate the casing K, and the rotational output is transmitted to a cone, which is a cylindrical gear member that passes through the casing K.

[0012] The chuck frame 32 has a wedge-shaped chuck that fits between the cone and the casing, mounted on a rotatable annular rotating body. The base frame 31 is provided with four chuck cylinders 36, which connect to the chuck frame 32. As a result, the chuck frame 32 moves up and down relative to the base frame 31 as the chuck cylinders 36 extend and retract, and as it moves down, multiple chucks are firmly inserted between the casing K and the cone. The gripped casing K is then rotated by the output of the auger hydraulic motor 35 transmitted through the cone.

[0013] The auger device 3 has a guide block fixed to the base frame 31 that is slidably attached to the rail section 23 of the leader 13. The leader 13 is equipped with a lifting cylinder 24 between the two rail sections 23, and is configured so that the auger device 3 descends when it is retracted and rises when it is extended. Furthermore, the pile driver 1 is configured so that an auger lifting device 5 can be attached to and detached from the underside of the auger device 3 in order to increase the pulling force of the casing K. The auger lifting device 5 has a horizontal jack 37 that is in contact with the ground, and the auger device 3 can be lifted by the extension of a thrust jack 38.

[0014] As mentioned above, the pile driver 1 uses actuators such as hydraulic cylinders including a lifting cylinder 24, a forward / backward oscillating cylinder 26, and a left / right oscillating cylinder 27, as well as hydraulic motors such as an auger hydraulic motor 35, and a hydraulic circuit incorporating solenoid valves for hydraulic control. Conventional construction machines are configured to switch solenoid valves by the operator using operating levers or pedals, but in this embodiment, the pile driver 1 has such operating means such as operating levers and pedals removed from the operator's cab 15, and is configured to be operated both inside and outside the cab using a handheld operating device.

[0015] The pile driver 1 is configured with a dual control system that allows switching between wireless radio control and wired remote control operation. Figure 2 is a simplified image diagram showing the control system of the pile driver 1. The pile driver 1's drive control is electronically controlled by a controller (control device) 51, and it is possible to drive, turn, and push out piles using a radio control device 52, which is a wireless control device, and a wired remote control device 53. The controller 51 is connected to a display 55 and several lamps 56 that show the operator the operating status, and several solenoid valves 58 that operate the engine 57 and various actuators to be controlled are connected via a drive circuit (not shown).

[0016] The controller 51 is primarily composed of a CPU that performs various calculations such as data processing and judgment, and includes a ROM that stores a predetermined construction program and a RAM that temporarily stores various data during processing. In the pile driver 1, the drive control can be centrally managed by the controller 51 through electronic control, and by having a dual control system of radio control and remote control, remote operation by radio control is particularly possible. All operation signals from the radio control device 52 or the remote control device 53 are transmitted to the controller 51, and the controller 51 creates and transmits drive command signals to the engine 56, solenoid valve 58, etc., and predetermined drive control is performed.

[0017] The operator's cab 15 houses both a radio control device 52 and a remote control device 53. The radio control device 52 is capable of wireless communication with the receiver 54 of the controller 51, allowing for operation from a seated position inside the operator's cab 15, as well as remote control of the pile driver 1 from a distance outside the operator's cab 15. The radio control device 52 is also equipped with a radio control sub-unit 60, which is small and lightweight, allowing for operation of limited functions. On the other hand, the remote control device 53 is connected to the controller 51 via a cable 59, so its primary use is from inside the operator's cab 15. However, the cable 59 connected to the controller 51 is of a certain length, allowing the remote control device 53 to be pulled out from the operator's cab 15, making it possible to operate the pile driver 1 while monitoring its operation from the outside.

[0018] Figure 3 shows the remote control device 53. The remote control device 53 is equipped with multiple operation switches and buttons, including a selector switch 61 that allows selection of the operation mode. In other words, by switching the selector switch 61, control rights are granted to either the radio control device 52 (including the radio control slave unit 60) or the remote control device 53, and the pile driver 1 can be driven and controlled only by the operation of the corresponding control device. The radio control device 52 is not shown in detail, but it is configured similarly except for the selector switch 61, and control rights are confirmed by pressing the confirm button on the radio control device 52 after the radio control mode is selected.

[0019] The remote control operation device 53 is provided with a plurality of operation switches and buttons. Examples thereof include three travel levers 62 for operating turning, left travel and right travel of the lower traveling body 11, an auger rotation switch 63 for the auger device 3, a pull-out / push-in switch 64, a chuck opening / closing switch 65, and the like. In addition to the jack expansion / contraction switches 66 for respective jacks, a turning brake switch 67, an engine stop button 68, and the like are also provided. Furthermore, the remote control operation device 53 is provided with volume switches 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76 for torque adjustment, speed adjustment, pushing speed, pushing force, pulling force, and chuck force.

[0020] Incidentally, in the present embodiment, when the operation right is granted to the radio control operation device 52 by the selector switch 61, operation by the radio control slave unit 60 is also enabled. The radio control slave unit 60 is a small operation device in which the number of buttons is reduced by limiting operation targets so that it can be easily carried, and wireless communication with the receiver 54 of the controller 51 is enabled. Among the operation devices of the pile driver 1, the radio control operation device 52 and the remote control operation device 53 are designed for general operation by means of the plurality of operation switches and buttons shown in Fig. 3. On the other hand, the operation targets of the radio control slave unit 60 are limited.

[0021] Accordingly, for the radio control slave unit 60, it is preferable to use a general-purpose operation device in order to reduce cost, but it may be difficult to use depending on the operation target. For example, in the radio control slave unit 60 used in the present embodiment, all buttons are configured only by a momentary system. In the momentary system, the target can be driven only while the button is pressed, so this is effective in the case of short-time driving for performing operation adjustment. In contrast, in the case of driving for a long time, the operator has to keep pressing the button.

[0022] Therefore, ideally, even with the radio-controlled sub-unit 60, it would be preferable to be able to design the buttons for both momentary and alternate operation depending on the object being operated. However, this would increase costs, so the pile driver 1 of this embodiment employs a configuration that allows for button operation similar to the alternate operation even with a momentary radio-controlled sub-unit 60 using a general-purpose component. In other words, as mentioned above, the drive control of the pile driver 1 is electronically controlled by the controller 51, and a button operation change program is stored in its memory unit that allows the operator to change the button operation of the radio-controlled sub-unit 60.

[0023] Figure 4 shows the radio-controlled sub-unit 60. The radio-controlled sub-unit 60 is a rectangular device with a width that can be held in one hand, and the operating surface on the front has five sets of buttons arranged in the longitudinal direction, with two buttons arranged in the width direction. In the pile driver 1, these 10 buttons are assigned as operation buttons to perform predetermined drives. For example, of the 10 buttons located in the center, the left rotation button 81 and the right rotation button 82 are for the auger device 3 to rotate the casing K. The two buttons above them are the pull-out button 83 and the push-in button 84 for the lifting cylinder 24 to pull out or push in the casing K.

[0024] One of the tasks performed by the pile driver 1 is the removal of buried concrete. In this task, the casing K may be rotated for more than an hour. Therefore, the momentary left rotation button 81 and right rotation button 82 must be held down for the duration of the casing K's rotation. In addition, the pull-out button 83 or push-in button 84 may be pressed simultaneously with the casing rotation. These pull-out and push-in operations are not performed for as long as the casing K's rotation, but rather for only a short time. Therefore, the button operation modification program enables alternate operation for the left rotation button 81 and right rotation button 82. On the other hand, the operation of the pull-out button 83 or push-in button 84 remains momentary and is not affected by this program.

[0025] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the button operation change program. The controller 51 controls the drive of the pile driver 1 based on the operation signal from the radio control device 52 (including the radio control slave unit 60) that has control rights. In the button operation change program, the input of a button signal is confirmed by pressing the left rotation button 81 or the right rotation button 82 (S101). If the button is not pressed (S101: NO), this process ends. On the other hand, if the left rotation button 81 or the right rotation button 82 is pressed (S101: YES), the controller 51 controls the rotation drive of the auger device 3 in the direction based on the button signal (S102). Note that the button pressing action here is a short press action to send an ON signal, not a long press.

[0026] Subsequently, the button signal from the left rotation button 81 or the right rotation button 82 is checked (S103). If no button signal is input (S103: NO), the process in steps S102 and S103 is repeated, and rotational drive control to the auger device 3 continues. If a button signal is input (S103: YES), rotational stop control is performed on the auger device 3 (S104), and this process ends. In this embodiment, the button signal checked in step S103 may be the button signal of either the left rotation button 81 or the right rotation button 82, which are rotation buttons.

[0027] Therefore, in this embodiment, since the radio control unit 60 is momentary, even if the left rotation button 81 is pressed, for example, it will mechanically return to the OFF state when released. However, the button operation change program allows the controller 51 to continue driving the auger device 3 to the left. Furthermore, when the operator performs operations such as pushing while the casing K is rotating, there is no need to keep pressing the left rotation button 81, allowing the operator to concentrate on operations such as pulling out the button 83 and pushing in the button 84.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the rotation operation of the casing K is started by pressing the left rotation button 81, the rotation drive to the auger device 3 can be stopped not only by pressing the same left rotation button 81, but also by pressing the right rotation button 82. In other words, when stopping, the relationship with the button pressed during rotation is eliminated, and the device is configured to stop regardless of whether the left or right button is pressed. Therefore, even in situations where a sudden stop operation is required, the operator does not need to check the direction of rotation and can respond immediately. This is particularly effective with momentary type buttons, as the ON and OFF states cannot be distinguished.

[0029] In the button operation change program of this embodiment, the buttons controlled by the momentary method are configured so that pressing either button will stop the operation, even when performing a drive operation in the reverse direction, as described above. This allows the operator to recognize the direction in which to operate the drive unit and to be reminded to resume operation, as pressing the wrong button will stop the operation without moving it in the opposite direction. This is particularly effective when a large casing K is rotating slowly, as the operator may lose track of the direction of rotation.

[0030] Thus, even with commercially available control devices designed with momentary buttons, a button operation modification program can be used to change any of the multiple buttons to an alternate operation. Furthermore, because these are general-purpose control devices, they can be obtained inexpensively, and since the aforementioned effect is achieved through a program, the cost related to the radio-controlled slave unit 60 can be reduced.

[0031] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from its spirit. For example, in the above embodiment, the left rotation button 81 and the right rotation button 82 were used to operate the rotation drive of the auger device 3, but these could be buttons for operating other drive devices. Furthermore, although a pile driver 1 was described as an example in the above embodiment, the construction machinery can also be adapted to other types such as cranes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1…Pile driver 2…Base machine 11…Lower travel unit 13…Leader 24…Lifting cylinder 51…Controller 52…Radio control device 53…Remote control device 60…Radio control slave unit

Claims

1. A drive unit that performs a predetermined movement through the operation of multiple actuators, A control device that transmits control command signals to each solenoid valve for operating multiple actuators, An operating device that transmits an operating signal to the control device for operating the drive unit, It has, The aforementioned operating device has multiple buttons configured in a momentary manner, and the control device starts and continues drive control of the drive unit in response to a button signal transmitted when a button on the operating device is pressed, and stops the drive unit in response to a button signal transmitted when a button is pressed thereafter in a construction machine.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device performs the start and continuation of drive control of the drive unit, and the stop of the drive unit, targeting any button among the multiple buttons of the operating device.

3. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the operating device has a pair of buttons for operating drives in opposite directions, and the control device starts and continues drive control of the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when one of the buttons is pressed, and then stops the drive unit by a button signal transmitted when one or the other button is pressed.

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